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Would you consider it "tacky".....

if my husband and I send "Christmas Wish Lists" to our children (all grown) with specifics of what we really need/want? Nothing extravagant, but nothing they would lucky guess we want either. We will both buy each other the most expensive thing we want ($50.00 for each one) bur the rest of it is pretty pedestrian.....stocking caps, team football jerseys, a new robe for each, new white tennies for him, brown dress slacks, things like that. Even some white socks (all the same, I'm tired of mating them) for me.....nothing expensive, like I said. We'd rather get things we NEED than something expensive that we might use less. What is your opinion?
IN my large family, we draw for gifts so we can each get/buy ONE NICE gift, and decrease the stress (best gift of all) except for the little kids. I'd be curious to hear your opinions.

8)
RED,WHy wold you take that as TACKY..... :?: :?: :?:
I call it being effecient !!!

IT IS YOUR CHRISTMAS and if there are things you need and would rather have than gifts that end up in a closet then wouldn;t you think those gfits would be a better idea??????

My dear I think you know the RIGHT ANSWER AND IT IS IN YOUR OWN WORDS IN YOUR POST....the OPINIONS of what other have to say about what you in the privacy of yourhouse during YOUR christmas is YOUR business and I never knew there were RULES for what to buy someone for CHRISTMAS????

MY parents are both over 75 and have everything.....what do I get them , that I have not bought them before?????

SO when I asked my mom wanted a WARM HOUSE COAT AND MY DAD THE SAME AND WARM SLIPPERS....PERSONALLY I would rather get them something they will use and need then buy them something I'll find in the garage the next time I visit !!!!
PLOW ANDHEARTH is one of those special christmas catalogs that sell all kinds of neat christmas gifts have a great catalog and I also sent them a table top LIVE CHRISTMAS TREE all decorated with light n all for amere 50.00 !!!!!

Remember it is not the size or how much ya spent it's CHRISTMAS and it is supposed to be the day we give each other gift as the wise men did for the BABY JESUS.....I doubt they worried if there gifts were adequite or not when they appeared after there long journey that fatefull day !!!!

DO AS YOU PLEASE AND WHAT PLEASE YOU SHOULD PLEASE THE GIVER KNOWING THEY GAVE SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANTED !!!!!!

BLESS YOU

STJAMES

MY GOAL IN LIFE IS TO BE AS GOOD A PERSON AS MY DOG ALREADY THINKS I AM.....

I think it is a great idea. I know I have gotten dozens of presents that were never seen again after christmas except to throw them away or take to the thrift store.
One suggestion is to think of a way for them to let each other know what they are getting on the list, so that you dont simply end up with a ton of socks. Maybe a gift registry at a big department store or something along those lines.
Good luck and happy early holidays
Brent

I would LOVE it if my dad and in-laws would actually let me know what they would like to have for Christmas - it would save me a lot of time looking at catalogs and talking long distance to my middle sister and brothers trying to come up with ideas. I imagine your kids do the same. My taste is so different from my mother-in-law's that I have given up trying to find something new and just send them a fruit box and a poinsettia every year.

St. James is right about Plow and Hearth - it is a great catalog! I sent my oldest sister some handblown glass bird ornaments last year. Their toll free number is 1-800-627-1712 if you want a print catalog, or you can go to www.plowandhearth.com to shop online.

I also love Duncraft - they have everything you can imagine for wild birds - feeders, houses, birdbaths, seed and treats, plus darling birdseed ornaments and wreaths. We always decorate one big tree outside for the animals - birdseed and suet treats, dried apples and cranberries, dried corn for the squirrels, hay and cedar nearby for the deer - everything completely edible - no string, twine or plastic to endanger the critters. You can shop duncraft.com or call 1-800-593-5656.

If you have someone who is really hard to buy for, Petit Jean Meats in Arkansas has a great complete Ham dinner - a baked ham, cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole and a pecan cobbler, delivered frozen in a large insulated box - dinner for 4-6 ready to heat and eat.

Hi,
I love gift ideas from my parents and in-laws. I rather get them something that they'll use, then something I'll never see when I visit there home. Makes me feel a little bad that they didn't like what I got them.
My mother in-law e-mails me gift ideas for herself and husband, then she'll e-mail her daughter with a different list. It works out great!
Happy holidays,
Kelly

I am on board with everyone else. When the hectic season is upon us, it helps so much to have an idea of what each person would like. It is not a demand list, it is a wish list and I think it is entirely appropriate!!
I also ask my loved-ones to provide me with their wish list so that I can reciprocate!! Makes shopping so much easier and giving/receiving so much more appreciated :lol:

I think it is better to tell them what you want. I know if I am buying someone a gift I would prefer if they were able to use it or enjoy it. I start my Christmas shopping very early in the year so I am not stressed by it when Christmas comes around. When I am talking to family, friends, etc. at some point they will say, "I would love to have, xyz" I make note of it and buy it if they have not gotten it yet.

With my parents I will look around the house to see if there is something that needs to be replaced etc. With some family members I get them a subscription to the newspaper, or lawn services, maid services. Gift cards to a grocery store are always good too. These seem to help them a lot. Just a few ideas out of the everyday.

Maybe I'm a party pooper, but I love surprises, and I'm not picky, so I don't want to tell people exactly what I want. I will give general info, like "I like anything from Ann Taylor Loft and any kitchen gadgets." I do love to go behing my husband's back to tell family what he's been wishing he had. I like to ask the person's spouse or best friend if they've been wishing for something. Then, it can still be a surprise!!!!! :lol:

However, I realize the practicalities that you all are advocating...........

That is NOT being a party pooper at all :lol:
I think that it falls in line with what we are saying. Knowing that you love anything from Ann Taylor's Loft is a great help when trying to find an appropriate gift.
The lists need not be specific, they can be just like yours. So that, as you said, the buyer has some idea of where to go and what to get, but the receiver still is surprised.
Our extended family is so large that, at Thanksgiving, we draw names and we purchase a gift for only that person (we always buy for every member of our nuclear family). We never know who has drawn our name. We then post our wish list on everyone's e-mail. On Christmas morning, we are both surprised by the gift and by the person who drew our name.
So, I think it works very well that way
Peace and Blessings
Saysusie

This year we talked to the kids about giving up the "big gifts" they would normally get for Christmas, and donating that money for aid to the people of Darfur - they will still get small gifts, but there is nothing they really need, and I think they are old enough they need to know how lucky they are to live here. Obviously they don't understand what is really going on in Darfur - you can't explain genocide to a ten year old - they just know people are starving and being hurt by bad people. I had to laugh and cry at the same time when my youngest asked me very seriously why the sheriff didn't just arrest the bad men - he's obviously been watching too many western movies! I didn't want to tell him there are too many bad men and not enough sheriffs. We normally give to charities closer to home, but Darfur is such an enormous crisis, and it's being ignored by most of the world - how can we teach our children about peace on earth, good will towards men, when we are doing nothing to help? So that will be our christmas this year.